Liquid homogenizing device

ABSTRACT

A device for use in homogenizing a multi-phase liquid hydrocarbon fuel to improve the burning qualities thereof. The liquid hydrocarbon fuel is directed longitudinally through an elongate housing to be subjected to the actions of an elongate member that is vibrating in the ultrasonic range. The liquid fuel after being so treated is formed into a plurality of laterally moving streams in the housing that are subjected to further ultrasonic vibration by a number of elongate reeds that resonate due to the vibration of said member. Hydrocarbon fuel after being subjected to the above described ultrasonic vibration action is homogenized, and is of uniform composition, with the liquid then being discharged from the housing for use as a fuel having improved burning qualities.

United States Patent [1 1 Burtis 1 1 Feb. 11, 1975 LIQUID HOMOGENIZING DEVICE Primary ExaminerRobert W. Jenkins [76] Inventor: Wilson A. Burtis, 501 1 Harvard Ammey Agent Firm-William Babcock Ave., Westminster, Calif. 92683 [22] Filed: Jan. 14, 1974 [57] ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.: 433,215 A device for use in homogenizing a multi-phase liquid hydrocarbon fuel to improve the burning qualities thereof. The liquid hydrocarbon fuel is directed longii 3 3 3; tudinally through an elongate housing to be subjected [58] Fi i "Eg 44 R 72 99 to the actions of an elongate member that is vibrating e ar 259/114 1 f g in the ultrasonic range. The liquid fuel after being so treated is formed into a plurality of laterally moving 56 R f d streams in the housing that are subjected to further ul- 1 e erences l e trasonic vibration by a number of elongate reeds that UNITED STATES PATENTS resonate due to the vibration of said member. Hydro- 3,078,73O 2/1963 Clements 259/1 R carbon fuel after being subjected to the above de- 3.l6 .0 3 5 Jones 259/919 44 scribed ultrasonic vibration action is homogenized, 3,176,964 4/1965 Cottell 259/1 R and is of uniform composition i h liquid the" 3,715,104 2/1973 Cottell 259/D1G. 44

being discharged from the housing for use as a fuel having improved burning qualities.

5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures I 1 LIQUID HOMOGENIZING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention Liquid Homogenizing Device and Method of Using Same 2. Description of the Prior Art Certain multi-phase liquids, such as fuel oil, may have one or more of their physical characteristics improved if they are transformed to a homogeneous state. The transformation of a multi-phase liquid hydrocarbon fuel to a homogenized condition has been found to improve the burning qualities of the fuel.

The more complete the burning of the fuel, the less the ambient atmosphere will be comtaminated with undesirable products of combustion, particularly carbon monoxide.

The primary purpose in devising the present invention is to supply a portable lightweight liquid homogenizer that is of simple structure, is compact and light in weight, and may be mounted on a Diesel engine powcred vehicle to homogcnize the liquid hydrocarbon fuel just prior to it being injected into the engine.

Although the invention is particularly adapted for use in homogenizing liquid hydrocarbon fuels, it will be obvious that it may be used successfully with other multiphase liquids to transform the latter to a homogeneous state.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The multi-phase liquid homogenizing device includes an elongate housing that has first and second ends, and the housing defining a confined space within the interior thereof.

An elongate ultrasonic wave generating assembly is provided that has first and second ends. The assembly has a first end secured to the first end of the housing and projects therefrom into the confined space, with the second end of the assembly being spaced at short distance from the second end of the housing.

A cylindrical shell extends longitudinally in said confined space between the first and second ends of the housing. The shell envelops the portion of the ultrasonic wave generating assembly disposed in the confined space. The shell has a number of longitudinally and circumferentially spaced apertures therein. A liquid inlet opening is formed in the second end of the housing, and is in communication with the interior of the shell.

A number of elongate reeds are provided that are disposed in the confined space between the shell and the interior surface of the housing. The reeds have first ends thereof secured to the second end of the housing. The second ends of the reeds are spaced a short distance from the first end of the housing. The reeds are of such length and formed from a material having such resiliency that they will resonate when the ultrasonic generating assembly is actuated.

A multi-phase liquid is discharged under pressure through the inlet in the second end of the housing and is subjected to ultrasonic vibrations as it flows longitudinally in an annulus shaped space between the assembly and shell. The liquid after being treated to such ultrasonic vibrations flows through the apertures and is formed into a number of streams as a result thereof that are subsequently subjected to further ultrasonic vibrations by the resonating reeds. The streams above described merge into one another as they discharge from the apertures. The liquid ater being twice subjected to ultrasonic vibrations is completely homogenized and flows from the housing through a discharge opening therein that is located adjacent a first end thereof. Ultrasonic vibrations as used herein is considered to be vibrations above 20,000 cycles per second.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. I is a side elevational view of the multi-phase liquid homogenizing device;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross sectional view of the portions of the device through which liquid flows:

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the device taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a transverse cross sectional view of the device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The multi-phase liquid homogenizing device as may best be seen in FIG. 1 includes an elongate tubular housing A that has a first end 10 and second end 12. A multi-phase liquid inlet tubular assembly B is provided in the second end 12 of the housing A and a homogenized liquid outlet C extends outwardly from the housing A adjacent the first end 10 thereof. The first end 10 of the housing as can best be seen in FIG. 2 includes an outwardly extending flange 14 that is engaged by a plate 16 that has a tubular boss 18 projecting outwardly therefrom.

The interior of the tubular boss 18 has threads 20 formed therein, which threads are engaged by threads 22 formed in a tube 24. The tube 24 extends into a confined space 26 defined within the housing A. The tube 24 after entering the confined space 26 develops into an elongate shell 28 that has a number of longitudinally spaced and circumferentially spaced apertures 30 formed therein. Plate 16 has a recess 32 formed therein in which an O-ring 34 is disposed that is in sealing engagement with the exterior of the tube 24. The flange l4 and plate 16 are removably held together by a number of screws 36 or other suitable holding means.

The second end 12 of the housing A includes a second flange 38 that extends inwardly and has a circumferential groove 40 therein in which a resilient O-ring 42 is disposed that is in sealing engagement with the exterior surface of the shell 28. The inwardly extending flange 38 as can best be seen in FIG. 2 develops into an outwardly extending tubular boss 44 that has threads 46 formed on the interior thereof, and these threads engaging threads 48 formed on the end extremity of a multi-phase liquid inlet tube 50.

The interior 52 of tube 50 as can best be seen in FIG. 2 in communication with the interior confined space 54 of the shell 28. An elongate ultrasonic wave generating assembly E is provided that has first and second ends 56 and 58, with the first end 56 being situated within the confines of the tube 24, and the assembly B being centered in the confined space 54 defined within the shell 28. The shell 28 and assembly E cooperate to define an annulus shaped space 60 therebetween as shown in FIG. 2.

The ultrasonic wave generating assembly E may be actuated by a quartz crystal (not shown) which due to its pizeoelectric characteristic vibrates within the ultrasonic frequency when subjected to pulses of electricity at a suitable frequency or an alternating current at a suitable frequency. The ultrasonic wave generating assembly B may also be of a type that vibrates due to magnetostriction due to being subjected to a magnetic field of high frequency. Irrespective of which type of ultrasonic wave generating assembly E is used, the alternating current or pulsed electrical current to energize the same is delivered to the assembly E through two electrical conductors 62 that extend to a high frequency electrical generating device F of conventional design as shown in FIG. 1.

In use, the multi-phase liquid is discharged into the confined space 54 thereof the inlet tube 50, and is then subjected to ultrasonic vibrations by the elongate generating assembly E, and the liquid after being so vibrated, flowing through the aperture 30 as a number of streams (not shown) that merge after being disposed through the apertures. The streams discharge into an annulus shaped space 26a that is defined between the exterior surface of the shell 28 and the interior surface of the housing A. A number of elongate reeds 64 are provided that have first and second ends 66 and 68, which reeds extend longitudinally into annulus shaped spaces 26a and have the first ends 66 supported from the second end 12 of housing A. The ends 64 have threads 68 on the first ends thereof that engage tapped bores 70 formed in the flange 38, and the second ends of the reeds extending through opening 72 formed in a gasket 74 that is in abutting contact with the exterior surface of an inwardly extending flange 38 as shown in FIG. 2. The projecting threaded ends of the reeds 64 are engaged by nuts 76, which nuts when tightened force the gasket 74 into sealing contact with the portions of the reeds that extend there'through.

The reeds 64 are of such length that the second ends 68 thereof are longitudinally spaced a short distance from the plate 16. The reeds 64 are also of such length and are formed ofa material having such resiliency that the reeds 64 resonate when the assembly E in energized, and in so doing subject the streams of liquid discharging from the apertures 30 to a second treatment of ultrasonic vibrations. The liquid after being so treated discharges through the outlet C as shown in FIG. 1.

The outlet C is defined by a tubular boss 78 that has threads 80 formed in the interior thereof that are engaged by threads 82 formed on a tube 84. The tube 84 directs the multi-phase liquid after it has been homogenized due to the ultrasonic treatment above described to a desired destination where it will be used as a fuel or for other related purposes. The longitudinal section of shell 28 between second end 58 of assembly E and the inner end of boss 44 has no apertures 30 formed therein.

The use and operation of the invention have been described previously in detail and need not be repeated.

I claim:

1. A device for transforming a multi-phase liquid into a substantially homogeneous liquid that includes:

a. an elongate housing having first and second closed ends, said housing defining a confined space within the interior thereof;

b. an elongate ultrasonic wave generating assembly disposed at least partially in said confined space and supported in a substantially fixed position in said housing to extend from said first end to a position adjacent said second end, and said assembly when so supported having the portion thereof in said confined space free to vibrate;

c. first means for vibrating said assembly in an ultrasonic range;

d. a tubular shell in said confined space of greater internal transverse cross section than the transverse cross section of the portion of said assembly in said housing, said shell enveloping said portion of said assembly in said housing, and extending from said first end to said second end and in communication with a liquid inlet in the latter, and said shell having a plurality of longitudinally and circumferentially spaced apertures therein;

e. a plurality of elongate, circumferentially sapced reeds disposed in said confined space that have first and second ends, said first ends of said reed secured to said second end of said housing, said reeds being substantially parallel to one another and located between said housing and said shell, and said reeds being of such length and formed from a material possessing resiliency to the extent that said reeds will resonate when said assembly is vibrated; and liquid outlet means in said shell adjacent said first end thereof, with said multi-phase liquid when discharged through said liquid inlet entering an annulus shaped space defined between said assembly and shell to be subjected to ultrasonic vibration by said assembly prior to flowing out of said shell as a plurality of streams through said apertures to be further subjected to ultrasonic vibration by said reeds as they resonate, and said liquid being transformed to a homogeneous state as a result of said vibrations of said assembly and reeds prior to flowing from said liquid outlet means.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 in which said elongate assembly vibrates when subjected to a plurality of spaced pulses of electric power, and said first means are a pair of electrical conductors for delivering said electric power to said elongate assembly.

3. A device as defined in claim 1 in which said elon-- gate assembly has first and second ends, and said first end of said elongate member being secured to said first end of said housing.

4. A device as defined in claim 1 in which the portion of said shell between said second end of said assembly and said second end of said housing is free of apertures.

5. A device as defined in claim 1 in which said liquid outlet means is so located in said housing as to be transversely aligned with a section of said shell that has apertures therein. 

1. A device for transforming a multi-phase liquid into a substantially homogeneous liquid that includes: a. an elongate housing having first and second closed ends, said housing defining a confined space within the interior thereof; b. an elongate ultrasonic wave generating assembly disposed at least partially in said confined space and supported in a substantially fixed position in said housing to extend from said first end to a position adjacent said second end, and said assembly when so supported having the portion thereof in said confined space free to vibrate; c. first means for vibrating said assembly in an ultrasonic range; d. a tubular shell in said confined space of greater internal transverse cross section than the transverse cross section of the portion of said assembly in said housing, said shell enveloping said portion of said assembly in said housing, and extending from said first end to said second end and in communication with a liquid inlet in the latter, and said shell having a plurality of longitudinally and circumferentially spaced apertures therein; e. a plurality of elongate, circumferentially sapced reeds disposed in said confined space that have first and second ends, said first ends of said reed secured to said second end of said housing, said reeds being substantially parallel to one another and located between said housIng and said shell, and said reeds being of such length and formed from a material possessing resiliency to the extent that said reeds will resonate when said assembly is vibrated; and f. liquid outlet means in said shell adjacent said first end thereof, with said multi-phase liquid when discharged through said liquid inlet entering an annulus shaped space defined between said assembly and shell to be subjected to ultrasonic vibration by said assembly prior to flowing out of said shell as a plurality of streams through said apertures to be further subjected to ultrasonic vibration by said reeds as they resonate, and said liquid being transformed to a homogeneous state as a result of said vibrations of said assembly and reeds prior to flowing from said liquid outlet means.
 2. A device as defined in claim 1 in which said elongate assembly vibrates when subjected to a plurality of spaced pulses of electric power, and said first means are a pair of electrical conductors for delivering said electric power to said elongate assembly.
 3. A device as defined in claim 1 in which said elongate assembly has first and second ends, and said first end of said elongate member being secured to said first end of said housing.
 4. A device as defined in claim 1 in which the portion of said shell between said second end of said assembly and said second end of said housing is free of apertures.
 5. A device as defined in claim 1 in which said liquid outlet means is so located in said housing as to be transversely aligned with a section of said shell that has apertures therein. 